Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC by 2.0
Trophies and accolades continue to be the key motivating factor for teams and their fans ahead of each season but beyond that, local bragging rights remain a huge part of the global footballing brand.
Getting one over the closest geographical or historical rival always resonates with supporters and derby games tend to bring out the best and worst of teams.
With the presence of football in society in Europe and South America for over 150 years, the fabled tales of derby rivalries continue to accompany the narrative, all over the footballing world.
The biggest football derby rivalries tend to generate domestic and international attention, making them appointment viewing for football followers the world over.
Crunch local clashes also attract the interest of football betting sites and punters, with form often going out of the window in derby games, as players and fans get swept up in the emotion of it all.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest derby rivalries in world football:
Old Firm Derby – Celtic & Rangers
The city of Glasgow comes to a virtual standstill when Celtic and Rangers meet, and the two old foes continue to scrap it out at the sharp end of Scottish football.
Aside from the obvious geographical clash of two big football teams hailing from the same city, the differing religious views of Celtic and Rangers fans has only added to the vitriol between the two great clubs.
Incredibly, both sides have won 55 Scottish league titles, something that is sure to come to a head in the 2025/26 Scottish Premier League campaign.
Not since 1985 has any other team than Celtic or Rangers managed to win the league title in Scotland, which only adds to the extra sense of importance that comes with each Old Firm fixture.
El Clasico – Barcelona & Real Madrid
While not a derby in the geographical sense, Barcelona and Real Madrid have long been the dominant forces in Spanish football and the legacy of El Clasico transcends La Liga.
Representing the two biggest cities in Spain, Barcelona and Real Madrid have transitioned into two of the biggest global sporting brands and their rivalry is as divisive as ever.
With a first meeting dating back to 1902, these two great clubs are steeped in tradition, both in Spain and across Europe – having clinched 20 Champions League titles between them.
Domestically, the meeting of El Classico not only stops a nation but it continues to bring the footballing world to a halt, with millions of fans tuning in every season.
Both sides continue to splurge in the transfer markets and enhance their global presence, making them two of the biggest football clubs on the planet and when they lock horns, it is generally memorable.
Milan Derby – AC Milan & Inter Milan
Inner city rivalries rarely come as potent as AC and Inter Milan and the two Italian giants not only share a city, but they also play in the same stadium.
The San Siro is awash with the black and red of AC Milan one week, only to transform to a sea of blue and black the following when Inter take to the field – an arrangement that has worked out for both clubs for over a century.
Along with the likes of Juventus and Napoli, AC and Inter Milan have long been the flagbearers for Italian football, and they have propelled Serie A teams on the European stage.
With 39 domestic titles between them (Inter 20, AC Milan 19) each season presents a chance for one of these two great sides to get the upper hand, and the rivalry remains as potent today as it ever has been.
Superclasico – Boca Juniors & River Plate
South American football fans add a whole new meaning to the phrase passionate supporters and football remains part of the cultural fabric in Argentina.
Housed in Buenos Aries, two of the domestic giants in Argentinian football, Boca Juniors and River Plate make no attempts to hide their contempt for each other.
Another rivalry integrated into society, having first been played back in 1909, there have often been violent scenes that have marred this great fixture, particularly in relation to fans in the stands.
With 73 domestic titles between them, Boca and River remain the dominant forces in Argentinian football, and they continue to attract some of the biggest names in the game to their respective clubs.
Known as Superclasico, the vibrant scenes across Buenos Aries on derby day make it a spectacle like no other for football fans and the bragging rights that come with it in the Argentinian capital.
Intercontinental Derby – Galatasaray & Fenerbahce
While Besiktas would also want to put their hat into the ring in an Istanbul-based footballing rivalry, the meeting of Galatasaray and Fenerbahce always gets fans talking.
Known as the Intercontinental derby, with Istanbul famously straddling both Europe and Asia, few sporting fixtures have encountered the iconic moments that have accompanied a Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce fixture.
Once again, passion remains at the heart of the operation for both clubs, with fans of both sides judging the success of a particular season, on whether they managed to beat their bitter rivals, rather than league standing.
Between them, these two bastions of Turkish football have clinched 53 league titles, and they continue to fly the flag for Turkish sides in European competition.
Fan rivalry has historically been an issue in this fixture, with violence occasionally marring events on the pitch but despite being one of the sprawling metropolises’ of the world, Istanbul comes to a standstill when Galatasaray and Fenerbahce meet.
